NameCensus.

UK surname

Kaplan

A Jewish occupational surname referring to a chaplain, spiritual leader, or priest.

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Kaplan surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 470, ranked #10,475, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, London parishes and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Haringey, Camden and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kaplan is 474 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6614.3%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

470

2016, ranked #10,475

Peak year

2014

474 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kaplan had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 470 in 2016, ranked #10,475.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 123 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Kaplan surname distribution map

The map shows where the Kaplan surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Kaplan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kaplan over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 41 #31,095
1901 historical 121 #20,444
1911 historical 123 #20,128
1997 modern 230 #16,109
1998 modern 253 #15,547
1999 modern 275 #14,789
2000 modern 267 #15,055
2001 modern 271 #14,691
2002 modern 287 #14,402
2003 modern 304 #13,685
2004 modern 330 #12,994
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 338 #12,779
2007 modern 365 #12,205
2008 modern 381 #11,918
2009 modern 415 #11,386
2010 modern 425 #11,423
2011 modern 409 #11,663
2012 modern 453 #10,598
2013 modern 448 #10,870
2014 modern 474 #10,486
2015 modern 460 #10,652
2016 modern 470 #10,475

Geography

Back to top

Where Kaplans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity, Govan Combination and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Haringey, Camden, Waltham Forest and Barking and Dagenham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Haringey 026 Haringey
2 Camden 004 Camden
3 Waltham Forest 026 Waltham Forest
4 Barking and Dagenham 008 Barking and Dagenham
5 Camden 003 Camden

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kaplan

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kaplan surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kaplan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kaplan, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Kaplan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kaplan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kaplan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kaplan is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kaplan falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kaplan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kaplan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kaplan

The surname Kaplan originated in the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe, primarily in Poland and Russia. Its roots can be traced back to the Hebrew word "Kohen," which refers to members of the priestly class descended from Aaron, the brother of Moses.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, many Jewish communities in Eastern Europe were required to adopt surnames for official records and taxation purposes. The name Kaplan, derived from the German word "Kaplan" meaning "chaplain" or "priest," was commonly adopted by those of Kohen descent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kaplan can be found in the 1784 census of the Minsk Governorate (now part of Belarus), where several families with the surname Kaplan were listed. It is likely that these families had adopted the name in response to the Russian Empire's decree requiring Jews to take surnames.

In the 19th century, as Jewish communities in Eastern Europe faced increasing persecution and economic hardship, many Kaplans immigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas, contributing to the global spread of the surname.

Notable historical figures with the surname Kaplan include:

1. Mordecai Kaplan (1881-1983), a Lithuanian-born American rabbi and philosopher who founded the Reconstructionist movement in Judaism. 2. Golda Kaplan (later Meir) (1898-1978), an Israeli politician and teacher who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. 3. Abraham Kaplan (1918-1993), an American philosopher and educator who made significant contributions to the field of philosophy of science. 4. Irving Kaplan (1902-1969), an American mobster and associate of Meyer Lansky, known for his involvement in the National Crime Syndicate. 5. Anatole Kaplan (1835-1919), a Russian-born American artist and painter who is renowned for his landscapes and seascapes.

While the surname Kaplan has its roots in the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe, it has since become a prominent name across various cultures and regions, reflecting the global diaspora of Jewish populations and the assimilation of the name into various societies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kaplan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kaplan surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 4 Kaplans recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.06x.

County Total Index
Surrey 4 12.06x
Durham 1 4.94x
Kent 1 4.31x
Middlesex 1 1.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 4 Kaplans recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.95x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 4 91.95x
Deptford St Paul 1 55.87x
St George In East London 1 156.25x
Stockton On Tees 1 102.04x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kaplan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Catharine 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kaplan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Chaim 1
Felix 1
Joseph 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kaplan households.

FAQ

Kaplan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kaplan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Kaplan surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kaplan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 470 in 2016. That gives Kaplan a modern rank of #10,475.

What does the Kaplan surname mean?

A Jewish occupational surname referring to a chaplain, spiritual leader, or priest.

What does the Kaplan map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kaplan bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.